Fayetteville, econcomy and such (Rogers, Benton: sales, car insurance, house)

[tamaralj]

Looking for places to retire to, and Fayetteville has come up a few times in my searches. I haven't been to the area yet. If I go visit can you suggest places I should see? Are there hiking trails and other outdoor things to do, bike trails and what not? Good parks, and neighborhoods? Are the fleas and ticks bad? How are the winters there? Do you get a lot of ice storms or any ice storms? I'd probably want to live outside of the city in a small populated area, but want to live near the larger city for a hub. Is there a good airport there? I've looked over the old threads, and I know I might be repeating with some of my questions, but a lot of the threads are older. I love being outdoors and gardening, and peaceful living around nice friendly folks. Good health care system and low taxes. Whew! Have I covered everything???

Thank you,
Tamaralj

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by tamaralj

Looking for places to retire to, and Fayetteville has come up a few times in my searches. I haven't been to the area yet. If I go visit can you suggest places I should see? Are there hiking trails and other outdoor things to do, bike trails and what not? Good parks, and neighborhoods? Are the fleas and ticks bad? How are the winters there? Do you get a lot of ice storms or any ice storms? I'd probably want to live outside of the city in a small populated area, but want to live near the larger city for a hub. Is there a good airport there? I've looked over the old threads, and I know I might be repeating with some of my questions, but a lot of the threads are older. I love being outdoors and gardening, and peaceful living around nice friendly folks. Good health care system and low taxes. Whew! Have I covered everything???

Thank you,
Tamaralj

Tamara, I will try to answer some of your questions and other will join in, I am sure.

There are lots of small towns near Fayetteville, Rogers and Bentonville, the 3 main cities in the area. I won't start trying to name them all, but they are here. This is one of the things we love about living here. It is rural with an urban flair. Here is an example, last Sunday, we went to an Asian grocery store, a Mexican grocery store, stopped in at a Indian store, but didn't buy anything. Then we finished our shopping is a regular American store. So, we have everything. When we were through shopping, we drove home, to our house that is almost in the woods.

We have a great little Airport just outside of Bentonville. You can fly almost anywhere from the airport, though you might have to connect. The biggest problem or should I say two problems: 1-because of lack of competition and all the WalMart venders the prices are higher, which sucks and 2-there isn't a shuttle from the parking to the terminal. I am sure that will change in the near future. it would be ok, but the walk, dragging luggage, for older people can be a challenge.

We do have ice storms; not many. We have lived here going on 6 years and only had one really bad one and one year with a lot of snow. Will get a wonderful change of seasons with none being too severe, but you can be shut in a couple of days in a row, during the winter.

There are dogs parks, people parks, hiking trails, lakes: you name it, you will find it, if outdoor life is what you want. We also have a great museum, one of the best in the country, if not the world and it too, has nice trails.

The cost of living is on the low side, with food being a little more pricey than some places we have lived and sales taxes are a bit higher, but this is off set by: 1-65 year olds and older have their property tax frozen with the exception of a few city taxes and car insurance is much lower than anyplace we have lived.

Yes, people are friendly, at least 1/2 the people you meet are from someplace other than NWA. And yes we have great medical facilities.

I would suggest visiting Crystal Bridges museum, wander around or near the University campus and if you come in the next month or in the late spring, be sure to visit one of the larger Farmers Market, either Fayetteville or Bentonville would be my suggestion. If you are interested at all in civil war history, spend afternoon in Pea Ridge. You can spend time there on your way to visit the little town of Eureka Springs and maybe even stop by Beaver Lake. All this and more, depending on how long you plan on staying. Oh, one other place, take a stroll around Bentonville square and pop into the Walton Museum.

oh, the fleas and ticks: no fleas are not bad and if you use meds for your dogs ticks are either. However I don't think you want to use dog meds on yourself and yes the ticks can be a problem. Depending on what you are used to, it isn't a horrible one, but it is a problem.

[tamaralj]

Thank you for the information. Sounds like I need to make a visit there. I do love civil war history, in fact living in Kentucky, we have a few battle fields to see.

Fleas are bad here in the summer and ticks, so it sounds like maybe the fleas aren't as bad there, but ticks might be the same in the season.

We get ice storms and snow. Right outside of Cincinnati area, and I am so over it now.

How is the down town area of Fayetteville for shopping and such as far as malls and things of the urban nature?

Sounds like there would be a variety of eateries there with different styles of food.

The outdoorsy things you mentioned sound great.

Are there other airport options then? Probably farther away, but where would be the closest major type airport?

Funny thing with Rogers, as I traced my family history I found some of my relatives hailed from that area, and are buried there. It's been interesting as I look for places how I find out I had relatives that once lived in the area.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by tamaralj

Thank you for the information. Sounds like I need to make a visit there. I do love civil war history, in fact living in Kentucky, we have a few battle fields to see.

Fleas are bad here in the summer and ticks, so it sounds like maybe the fleas aren't as bad there, but ticks might be the same in the season.

We get ice storms and snow. Right outside of Cincinnati area, and I am so over it now.

How is the down town area of Fayetteville for shopping and such as far as malls and things of the urban nature?

Sounds like there would be a variety of eateries there with different styles of food.

The outdoorsy things you mentioned sound great.

Are there other airport options then? Probably farther away, but where would be the closest major type airport?

Funny thing with Rogers, as I traced my family history I found some of my relatives hailed from that area, and are buried there. It's been interesting as I look for places how I find out I had relatives that once lived in the area.

I think you will find our winters a little milder than yours if you live near Cinci. As for other airports, yes, some people drive to Tulsa which is a couple of hours or up to KC, about the same, maybe a little further, but most of us have found, save the hassle, just accept the prices and hope, more competition will come here soon.

Shopping, the downtown area of Fayetteville, is very much like the downtown Bentonville, pretty much everything is built around the square and it is more like a small old town. There are 2 very large and nice malls in the area: one is in Fayetteville, just not downtown and the other in Rogers. It is an outside mall, with both chain stores, like Dillards, smaller discount stores, TJ Max is one and lots of specialty shops. Further north, on the Rogers/Bentonville border is a strip shopping center with Kohls, Belks, Ross's etc and across almost across from that is Marshalls and a couple other new shops. You can really find about anything you want and then some.

[tamaralj]

Excellent! Sounds like I need to pay a visit to the area. Thank you for your response.